Group asks council to consider residents' voices

Wednesday

Sep 4, 2013 at 1:00 PM

In a final step before again asking for petitions, citizen Tim Klob made a plea to La Junta City Council to honor the voices of more than 540 La Junta citizens concerning the retail sale of marijuana and growing of industrial hemp.

Candi Hillchill@ljtdmail.com

In a final step before again asking for petitions, citizen Tim Klob made a plea to La Junta City Council to honor the voices of more than 540 La Junta citizens concerning the retail sale of marijuana and growing of industrial hemp.

La Junta City Council in August voted to ban the retail sale of marijuana and growing of hemp in La Junta city limits. Following the approval of the ordinance, a group of La Junta citizens took out a petition asking City Council to repeal their decision and put it as a ballot issue to allow the citizens of La Junta to decide.

The petition needed 431 signatures and the group secured 548. Due to time constraints, the issue would not appear on the November ballot, but, if enough signatures were valid, it could be a special election issue.

However, after review of the documents and in accordance with Colorado Revised Statutes, it was determined the signatures and petition were invalid because each petitioner did not present their notarized affidavit with the signatures they individually collected. All of the signatures, with affidavits from petitioners, were turned in as one item.

Tuesday, Klob asked La Junta City Council to listen to the taxpayers who signed the petition and repeal their own ban and put the item as a special election ballot. About 50 people were in attendance at Monday night's meeting. A group of people who had signed the petition met on the front lawn of the municipal building prior to the meeting.

"I'm asking you to take the moral high ground," Klob said, receiving cheers and applause from many in attendance.

Proponents of the measure believe that the Lower Arkansas Valley is prime area for growing industrial hemp.

"Potentially, this can be an economic game changer for us," Klob said about industrial hemp.

La Junta resident Bob Gleason encouraged council to listen to Klob, and the people who had signed the petition, and put it up as a city vote.

He said this isn't an issue of whether or not to allow the retail sale of marijuana and the growing of industrial hemp, but allowing people the opportunity to vote.

He asked the council to "be more aggressive and more progressive."

Councilman Frank McKenzie said he has visited with many of the people in his ward and heard both sides. However, as a councilperson, he has to look at what the people in his district want and what's best for the city. And, at this time, he thinks the ban is what is best for the city.

Councilmen Mike Moreno and Eugene Mestas both voted against the ban and, last month, asked that it go to the people for a vote.

Both said it's not about promoting "smoking marijuana." Mestas said hemp will soon be inline with other crops in the area and there is potential there.

Wednesday morning, Klob said they are still going to push the issue and will seek another petition in the near future.

"We tried to get them to honor the 548 taxpayers and since they refused to do it willingly, I don't see any other choice but to force them," Klob said. "One way or another, we are going to vote."